Denominational Profile

History

The Christian Churches and Churches of Christ is a decentralized movement derived from the Restoration Movement initiated in the United States during the first half of the 19th century by Barton Stone, Thomas and Alexander Campbell (former Presbyterians), and Walter Scott (a former Baptist). Until recent decades an integral part of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), these congregations gradually separated as the Disciples of Christ became more centrally organized.

Membership Data

Year

Clergy

Churches

Members

1970

5,987

4,688

1,020,751

1972

7,314

5,901

1,036,288

1973

6,934

5,479

1,036,460

1974

6,272

5,436

1,034,047

1975

6,525

5,482

1,049,816

1976

-

5,436

1,040,856

1978

7,279

5,468

1,044,842

1979

7,689

5,535

1,054,266

1981

8,074

5,605

1,063,254

1983

-

5,502

1,043,642

1985

6,238

5,487

1,051,469

1986

5,476

5,566

1,063,469

1987

7,041

5,614

1,071,995

1988

6,596

5,579

1,071,616

Data were taken from the National Council of Churches' Historic Archive CD and recent editions of the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches. The National Council of Churches' data collection was discontinued after the 2012 Yearbook was published, and has been resumed by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB). The tables and graphs will be updated when the new collection is available. See the Yearbook of Churches. Denomination descriptions provided by Dr. J. Gordon Melton, Director, Institute for the Study of American Religion (ISAR). [More information on data sources]